Young Aether's POV
Splash….
A burning sensation suddenly spread across my face. The cold water struck my bloodied skin hard enough to sting, then trickled down my cheeks and jaw, carrying the metallic taste of blood toward my lips.
It didn't hurt nearly as much as it should have. Instead, the sensation dragged me out of the darkness that had swallowed my consciousness.
I… I haven't died yet?
Water dripped from my chin while my blurred vision slowly adjusted to the dim room.
Then I saw her.
Lily was unconscious, strapped tightly to a metallic chair directly in front of me. Her head hung limply against her chest.
"Li… Ly…" I barely managed to force her name through my cracked throat.
Why haven't I died yet?
The question repeated itself inside my head. I wondered… and I kept wondering, even though some part of me already knew the answer.
Just then, the child with ice-blue eyes appeared before me.
